Page 51 of Thorns of Deceit: The Beast Within

“Let them hear,” he growled, closing the distance between them in two quick strides. “Let them know that their King is more concerned with bedding the enemy than protecting his own borders.”

“What?” she asked, confused. “Arye, this isn’t you.”

“Isn’t it?” Arye challenged, his eyes boring into hers. “You know me better than anyone, Sky. You’ve seen what I’m capable of. What I’m willing to do for this kingdom.”

“I’ve seen you lead armies, make difficult decisions,” she started, her words carefully chosen. “But at the same time, you offered to sacrifice thousands for me.”

“That’s something different.”

He was so close now that Skylar could feel his breath on her skin. Her heart raced, torn between the urge to flee and the desperate desire to lean in, erasing that final inch between them.

“Do you expect me to bless you committing treason?” she whispered.

Arye’s hand came up, his fingers brushing against her collar. Skylar froze, certain he’d discovered her secret. But he merely adjusted the fabric, his touch lingering for a moment too long. “I would have you stand with me,” he murmured, his eyes never leaving hers. “As you always have.”

Skylar’s heart skipped a beat. This was madness. She knew it. But she found herself impalpably leaning in his direction, her body and mind at war as she struggled against her own desires.

“What you’re suggesting… it’s dangerous,” she managed, her voice hoarse. “Not just for you, but for the entire kingdom. We can’t?—”

“We can’t what, Sky?” Arye interrupted, anger and desperation battling in his expression. “Protect our people from a weak king? Or do you honestly believe my father is more fit to rule than I am?”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” Skylar retorted, her jaw clenching with frustration. She took a step back, needing distance. “You’re talking about overthrowing your own father. Do you have any idea what that would do to Regalclaw? To our alliances? To the people?”

Arye’s laugh was bitter, devoid of humor. “And what do you think will happen if we do nothing? Someone has to act.”

“And that someone has to be you?” Skylar challenged, retreating until her back met the door. Arye advanced with slow, deliberate steps, the air between them crackling with tension. “There are other ways. You can talk to your father, make him see reason?—”

“I’ve tried!” Arye roared, slamming his fist against the door behind her. The impact echoed through the room, vibrating through her body and making Skylar flinch. “For years, I’ve triedto make him listen, to make him care about our people. He won’t change.”

Skylar stared at him, her beliefs shaken to the core. This was treason, plain and simple. But a small, traitorous part of her whispered that maybe, just maybe, Arye was right.

“You know what you’re asking of me, don’t you?”

Arye’s expression softened, just a fraction. “I’m asking you to help me build a better Regalclaw, to rule at my side.”

Skylar’s mind raced. Every fiber of her being, trained from birth to uphold duty and honor, screamed at her to refuse. But beneath that, a voice she had silenced for years cried out for justice long denied, for a chance to right the wrongs of her past. She thought of her father, sent on a mission he couldn’t survive; of her mother’s years spent hiding from the King’s predatory gaze; of having to protect her family by concealing her true self. And through it all, there was Arye—her constant, her anchor in a world that had taken everything else, a world where she barely existed.

She knew it then. Deep inside, she craved it all. Justice. Revenge. Blood.

However, there was one problem.

“You know I might have to kill you, right?” Skylar choked out. “That I am bound to the royal bloodline, to protect?—”

“Are you?” Arye interrupted, a knowing glint in his eye. “Tell me, did the Gryphon react to my words? Does it demand you strike me down now?”

Skylar paused, reaching deep within herself. The familiar presence of the cursed beast lay dormant, unbothered by the treasonous talk that should have sent it into a frenzy. She looked at Arye, uncertainty clouding her features.

“No,” she answered. “It’s quiet. But that doesn’t?—”

A triumphant gleam flashed in Arye’s eyes. “It means everything, Sky. Your Divine Beast recognizes the truth of what I’m saying.”

Skylar held up a hand, cutting him off. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. It could simply mean the Gryphon doesn’t see you as an immediate threat.”

“Or this isn’t about destroying the monarchy—it’s about saving it. Saving our kingdom.”

“Why can you be so sure?”

“Think about it,” Arye pressed. “What does the pact truly demand of your family?”

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